Done with one story, now I'm done with this chapter! :-P
Neptunia Guild Files: Fate/book one
A Hyperdimension Neptunia Fan Fiction
by Derald Snyder
Section 40: Red to White
*Two months after Sharon's rescue*
Sharon panted, sweat on her face and slightly hunched over, a length of chain in her hands. Across from her stood Artoria, who still looked quite fresh, holding a practice sword. "I cannot further your training like this, Sharon. If you won't take this seriously, I will have to strike a killing blow!" Which in this case, meant a blow to the neck or heart that would be fatal with an actual sword, signifying the end of the training session.
(I am taking this seriously!) Sharon thought to herself. (You're the one who's been training with a sword since you could walk!) Attempting to use the chain to disarm her opponent had already failed, and attempts to trip her up had also similarly failed. The only concession Artoria had made was eschewing her battle armor, as Sharon had rightfully pointed out that most criminals would not be armored in such a manner. (Wait, maybe...) She shifted, preparing to lash out with her chain again, Artoria tensing in response... The chain whipped out, Artoria shifting to evade the attempt to disarm her again... but the chain wrapped around her waist instead, Sharon then pulling taut!
"A futile effort!" the swordsman yelled, charging forward to make the chain go slack... but Sharon charged forward as well, shifting to the right to avoid the vertical slice, then nailing her opponent with a knee to the groin! Artoria gasped in pain, Sharon then wrapping an arm around her neck and slamming her to the ground, one hand around her neck, the other keeping her sword arm pinned!
"How's that?" Sharon grunted with a victorious grin.
"...Better," Artoria allowed, before easily shoving her off. "You're starting to learn how to think on your feet, when your usual tactics prove ineffective. Many fights are lost by the enemy adapting to your tactics, and not being able to come up with a counter in time. You still have a ways to go, however..."
"Right, right," Sharon sighed. (Always stingy with the praise...) She then lifted her head up as Shirou ran into the room, looking panicked. "What's going on?"
"We've been found out!" Shirou cried. "A bunch of people in suits have breached our hideout!"
"What the hell?! How did they find us?!" Sharon gasped in disbelief.
"Are they armed?" Artoria asked.
"They didn't have any guns out, that I could see..."
"Perhaps they don't have harmful intent, then. Let us go to greet them politely," Artoria suggested.
"Yeah, I'm in no shape to fight now, anyway..." Sharon agreed... So the trio left the training area, seeing a crowd of suited NPCs standing before them. However, the crowd soon parted, revealing a woman with long brown hair with a leafy bow, dressed in a blue longcoat.
"Wait, I know you!" Shirou realized. "Y-you're Lady Neptune's right-hand woman- IF!"
"That's right. Agent IF, Planeptune Guild, Intelligence Division," the woman introduced herself. "And you are the Red Archer... AKA Shirou Emiya." Ignoring the redhead's look of shock, she turned slightly... "Blue Saber, AKA Artoria Pendragon..." A look of mild confusion came over her. "And you... I have no idea. Must be a new recruit."
"Something like that," Sharon deadpanned.
"You've been watching us for a while, haven't you?" Artoria deduced.
"That's right. Usually we shut down wannabe vigilantes like yourselves, so they don't get themselves seriously hurt or killed... but you two seem to be the real deal. You especially, Red Archer," IF turned to Shirou again. "You apparently scared the one mafia don so badly, he sold off a large amount of his controlling interests in several D-60 businesses and went underground. And Gil Kamesh isn't one that's easily intimidated..."
"All I did was rescue Sharon here from a forced marriage proposal..." Shirou put a hand behind his head.
"But you practically had that bastard dead to rights, even if that thing you pointed at him wasn't a gun," Sharon pointed out. "I mean, think about it, he's supposed to be one of the most powerful men in that city, and you gave him a stark reminder of his mortality. That'd scare the hell out of anyone in his position..."
"Indeed," IF nodded with a small smile. "Which is why I have a proposal for you three... an opportunity for your vigilantism to become 'official', so to speak..."
The three looked at each other uncertainly. "...Somehow, I don't think scaring that mafia don alone was enough to get your attention. There's another reason, isn't there?" Artoria accused.
"Well, there is the fact that Shirou's adoptive father Kiritsugu once worked for us," IF admitted.
"Wha-?! My old man worked for you?!" Shirou gasped in surprise.
"He and my father were old partners," IF confirmed. "And you seem intent on following in his footsteps, am I right? I would be honored to fight alongside you as a fellow Guild member..."
Shirou bit his lip at this. "...Well, if what you're saying is true... then I guess my choice is clear. We accept."
"On the condition that I get some less harsh trainers," Sharon spoke up. "Arty here is a damn slave-driver sometimes..."
"It's for your own survival," Artoria grumbled with a blood vein visible.
"I think we can arrange that," IF agreed...
*Six months later...*
A dagger on a chain stabbed into the chest of a life-size mannequin, another dagger on the other end following soon after. Sharon then jumped and flipped in mid-air, using the momentum to power a brutal axe-kick that sent the dummy crashing to the ground! "Gotcha!"
"Well done!" the NPC trainer clapped slowly. "Your technique has improved markedly, Agent Rider. You should be equal to your companions in no time."
"I'm glad there's somebody who understands my limitations," the newly-christened Rider nodded as she uncapped her water bottle, taking a long pull. "-Ah! So much better than that rusty-tasting tap water in our old base!"
"Was it that bad?" Shirou sighed as he entered. "Anyway, we got a call. Time to get your new bike in gear!"
"All right, show time!" Rider grinned as she wiped her brow. Handing her towel and water to her trainer, she retrieved her chain and leather jacket, following Shirou to the parking garage...
A half-hour later, Archer, Saber, Rider and several other agents were gathered around IF outside a power plant. "Okay, here's the deal! We got a tip that fanatics worshipping the Deity of Sin are going to try to sabotage this plant into a nuclear meltdown! I don't need to tell you how bad the damage will be if they succeed! We gotta go in hard and fast! No mercy, shoot to kill, only subdue if they surrender of their own volition! You understand that, Emiya?!"
"Understood," Shirou nodded grimly. He hated taking other's lives, but even he realized the gravity of the situation.
"Alright, let's go!" IF ordered, turning and dashing to the plant entrance, the other agents following suit...
*Inside the power plant...*
Several personnel's corpses were strewn over the floor as their murderers typed at the consoles frantically... "How much longer until we get the main reactor open?!" one terrorist demanded.
"Gonna take a few minutes to hack the door!" one of his colleagues responded. "Our bomber's already at the door, once it's open he'll set the device, and all these gamers will die in nuclear fire!"
Just then, another terrorist ran in! "We got trouble! The Guild's here!"
"The Guild?! How'd they get wise to us?!" the leader gasped. "Wait, that's not important right now! Stop them at all costs! For the glory of Arfoire!"
"For the Deity of Sin!" the other nodded, racing back out...
"Take cover!" a Guild agent cried, he and his fellow agents ducking behind machinery as the terrorists opened fire with assault rifles and AK-47s!
"These guys are serious!" Rider gasped in shock.
"Well, so are we!" IF exclaimed. "Agent Archer, you're up!"
"Right! Trace On!" Shirou traced his bow and arrow. "Saber, give me a boost!"
"Understood!" Artoria nodded, kneeling and cupping her hands, Shirou stepping onto them and getting boosted into the air! He quickly aimed and fired his arrow at the floor between the terrorists, which detonated with a small explosion, knocking them over!
"Go!" IF ordered, the other agents breaking from cover and firing on the disoriented fanatics, killing the closest two in short order, the others retreating! One of them apparently lost his nerve, dropping his gun and falling to his knees, raising his hands in surrender! Several agents were immediately on him, cuffing him and dragging him off!
"Glad to see at least one of them came to his senses," Shirou muttered under his breath as they made their way forward, occasionally stopping to shoot an arrow at the terrorists. More often than not, he managed to get a thug in the shoulder, his fellow agents then finishing the terrorist off with gunfire! One terrorist suddenly lunged at him with a knife from behind a piece of machinery, only to be instantly cut down by Saber! "Good to see you still have my back, Saber!"
"Don't let your guard down!" Saber cautioned as they continued to pursue the terrorists.
But as they did, something occurred to the young Emiya... (Wait... it's like they're just leading us on a chase around the plant with no rhyme or reason...) Then it hit him- this was a distraction! (Shit! They're buying time to carry out their plot to blow the plant and kill us all!) "IF, where's the main reactor?!" he asked aloud.
"Over that way, I think," IF pointed. "Wait, you think one of them might be doing something to the reactor?!"
"Exactly! Saber, come with me! We're gonna go check it out!" Shirou yelled.
"I'm with you, Archer!" Saber agreed, breaking off from the others to follow her partner.
*At the main reactor...*
"Come on, come on..." the bomber grunted as he waited for the entrance to the main reactor to open... a green light lit up, the reinforced glass sliding open. "Finally!" Carefully carrying the bomb in both hands, he gingerly stepped inside...
"Stop right there!" Saber's voice echoed, the bomber quickly fleeing deeper into the chamber, Shirou managing to fire an arrow and jam the door before it could slide closed! "Good shot, Archer!"
"Right... but that area's buzzing with radiation! Going in there without protection is a death sentence..." Shirou grunted as they approached the door.
"Well, wherever you go, Shirou, I g-" Artoria's eyes rolled up in her head as she collapsed to the ground, a lump on her head.
"...Sorry, Arty, but this is something I have to do alone." With that, Shirou, pulled the door open, forcing his way inside, then going through the inner door to the reactor chamber proper... Gritting his teeth as he felt the intense radiation assault his body, he soon spotted the terrorist placing the bomb! "Stop right there! Disarm that bomb or else!" he cried, drawing his bow and arrow taut.
"I don't think so!" the terrorist shot back, even as he raised his hands. "I knew this was a suicide mission, anyway! Glory to the Deity of Sin!" With that, he bit down on something, his body shuddering before he collapsed to the ground! Shirou immediately rushed up to the bomber, seeing a fake tooth fall from his mouth!
"Dammit, a cyanide tooth!" the archer growled in frustration. Looking to his left, he saw the bomb ticking down from 00:30... (Don't have much time!) He quickly pulled the bomb from it's place, looking it over. (Which wire do I cut?!) Projecting a small knife, he examined the wires closely, deciding to cut the one that seemed most likely to plugged into the timer. (We're all dead if I'm wrong...) Gritting his teeth, Shirou put the knife into position, then cut-
-and the timer stopped.
Back outside the reactor, IF and the other agents had caught up, having killed or arrested the remaining terrorists. "Agent Saber!' IF cried upon seeing Artoria's prone form. Immediately she was at her side, looking her over... "Looks like she took a knock to the head..." Shaking her gently, she called, "Saber, wake up! Can you hear me?!"
"Nnnngghh..." Artoria stirred, slowly being lifted to a kneeling position, putting a hand to her head. "Sh... Shirou... where's Shirou...?!" She then heard the sound of a door sliding shut, looking to see Shirou collapsing onto his side in the outer chamber! "SHIROU!" She ran up to the glass door.
"Arty... I... I stopped the bomb..." Shirou grunted, his skin starting to discolor from the radiation.
"You went inside the reactor unprotected?! You idiot!" IF cried.
"Open the door! Get him out of there!" Saber cried.
"We can't!" another agent pointed to a red light glowing nearby. "It won't unlock until the radiation dissipates in the chamber!"
"No! Shirou!" Artoria ran up, all but plastering her face against the glass. "Why?! Why did you leave me behind?!"
"You're a better warrior... than I am..." Shirou coughed out, his hair beginning to bleach white. "You can handle things... without me..." He coughed again, his eyes slowly sliding shut... "Arty... I love you..."
"NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!" Artoria screamed as she futilely pounded at the glass!
"Get Saber out of here!" IF ordered. It took no less than eight men to finally drag the screaming, sobbing blonde away from the glass...
*Back in the present...*
Archer opened his eyes. "Well, obviously, I'm not dead. As soon as the safety door unlocked, they got me out, rushed to the hospital and gave me the strongest anti-radiation treatment they could. It was touch and go for a while, took almost a year to bounce back and rejoin the Guild..."
"So where was Rider when you were at the reactor?" Nero asked.
"I got there just as they were dragging Saber away," Rider replied. "I'll admit, it horrified me to see Shirou so discolored at the time... even though I'm used to his look now."
"But you know what the worst part was?" Archer said.
"What?"
"The bomb was a dud!" he threw his hands up in the air. "It apparently had a tamper-proof circuit, meaning it would've blown as soon as I cut the wire... but the explosive was mixed incorrectly! I damn near killed myself for nothing!"
"Believe me, I let Shirou have it when I found that out," Saber said, shaking her head.
"Oh yeah, I learned my lesson," Archer nodded. "Never again would I take such a reckless risk to myself... if only because Arty's wild, desperate screaming was burned into my brain. Never, never again."
"I could scarcely imagine Saber losing it like that," Nero looked over at her fellow blonde.
"Me neither, mikon," Tamamo nodded in agreement.
"Well, how would you feel if Tamamo was dying and there was nothing you could do for her?" Saber posed to Nero. "Or vice versa, for that matter?"
"...Yes, I would be quite broken up over it," Nero nodded grimly.
"It would hurt, for sure," Tamamo concurred, placing a hand over her chest. "Anyway, did you get that terror cell broken up?"
"Oh yeah, we found out where their HQ was from the one guy that gave up," Rider answered. "The army went in and terminated them with extreme prejudice, no survivors. Good riddance."
"Archer, Red Saber, Caster!" IF called as she walked up. "Grab your gear! The Western Branch of the Guild in Erethisan City needs our assistance!" The named three immediately sprung into action, gathering their things...
"Wait a minute! What about me?!" Rider protested. "Saber staying behind I get, but why am I being left out?!"
IF stopped at this, shifting uncomfortably. "Well... the agent who made the request is..."
"Let me guess, it's a member of Rider's estranged family?" Tamamo guessed.
"Oh, you know." Heaving a sigh, the brunette admitted, "Well, yes, it's one of her older sisters... Ariel, I think?"
"Euryale?!" Rider gasped in disbelief. "She's a Guild agent?!"
(Flashback Arc- End)
Looks like a blast from the past! What will Rider and the other agents find in Erethisan City?! Will she be able to get along with her sister again? Find out next time!